DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by So et al. (KR 20040098350 A).
As to claim 17, So discloses in figure 2: forming a first multilayer structure over a first glass substrate (110); forming a second multilayer structure of a second glass substrate (150); and embedding a liquid crystal material layer (170, paragraph [121]) between the first multilayer structure and the second multilayer structure, wherein: the first multilayer structure comprises a first electrode (pixel electrode 120, paragraph [120]), a first alignment layer (122, paragraph [120]) including a first polymer layer, where the first polymer layer is formed at an interface between molecules of the liquid crystal material layer and the first electrode (figure 2, the first alignment layer 122 is formed at an interface between the liquid crystal layer 170 and the pixel electrode 120), the second multilayer structure comprises a second electrode (common electrode 156, paragraph [120]), a second alignment layer (158, paragraph [120]) including a second polymer layer, where the second polymer layer is formed at an interface between molecules of the liquid crystal material layer and the second electrode (figure 2, the second alignment layer 158 is formed at an interface between the liquid crystal layer 170 and the common electrode 156), and the first polymer layer and the second polymer layer include a combination of an electron-donor monomer and an electron-acceptor monomer (paragraph [63], “wherein the material forming the first and second alignment layers is selected from a polyimide material having charge mobility, wherein an electron donor material and an electron acceptor material forming a main chain are connected in a conjugated bond form”).
As to claim 18, So discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 17. So further discloses in figure 2, wherein embedding the liquid crystal material comprises forming the liquid crystal material layer (170) between the first polymer layer (122) and the second polymer layer (158).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1-2, 4-8 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over So et al. (KR 20040098350 A) in view of Yamazaki et al. (US 2002/0056844 A1).
As to claim 1, So discloses in figure 2, a display cell comprising: two electrodes (pixel electrode 120 and common electrode 156, paragraph [120]) configured to be electrically coupled to a voltage supply; two alignment layers (first alignment layer 122 and second alignment layer 158, paragraph [120]) formed over surfaces of the two electrodes; and liquid crystal material layer (170, paragraph [121]) embedded between the two alignment layers, wherein the two alignment layers include a polymer formed with a combination of an electron-donor monomer and an electron-acceptor monomer (paragraph [63], “wherein the material forming the first and second alignment layers is selected from a polyimide material having charge mobility, wherein an electron donor material and an electron acceptor material forming a main chain are connected in a conjugated bond form”), wherein the polymer is formed at an interface between the molecules of the liquid crystal material layer and the electrodes (figure 2, the first alignment layer 122 is formed at an interface between the liquid crystal layer 170 and the pixel electrode 120, and the second alignment layer 158 is formed at an interface between the liquid crystal layer 170 and the common electrode 156).
So does not disclose wherein the alignment layers include grooves, and molecules of the liquid crystal layer are enabled to align along the grooves when no voltage is applied to the two electrodes. However, this was conventional as evidenced by Yamazaki (paragraph [0041], “The role of the orientation film 205 is to put the liquid crystal molecules in grooves formed in the orientation film 205 and to orient them in a given direction when the voltage is OFF”). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify So, wherein the alignment layers include grooves, and molecules of the liquid crystal layer are enabled to align along the grooves when no voltage is applied to the two electrodes, because conventional device structures were known to be cost-effective and reliable.
As to claim 2, So in view of Yamazaki discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 1. So further discloses in figure 2, wherein surfaces of the two electrodes (120 and 156) are facing the liquid crystal material layer (170).
As to claim 4, So in view of Yamazaki discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 1. Furthermore, the two electrodes include an anode (120) and a cathode (156), and the two alignment layers comprise a first alignment layer (122) adjacent to the anode (120) and a second alignment layer (158) adjacent to the cathode (156).
As to claim 5, So in view of Yamazaki discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 4, but does not disclose wherein the first alignment layer comprises an electron-donor monomer configured to oxidize at a first threshold below a first voltage applied to the anode. However, the oxidation is caused by the electron-donor monomer donating electrons, and is therefore also present in the device of So. Furthermore, it was well known to optimize the strength of the electron donating property. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify So, wherein the first alignment layer comprises an electron-donor monomer configured to oxidize at a first threshold below a first voltage applied to the anode, because it was known to optimize the strength of the electron donating property. See MPEP 2144.05, Section II.
As to claim 6, So in view of Yamazaki discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 4, but does not disclose wherein the second alignment layer comprises an electron-acceptor monomer configured to reduce at a second threshold above a second voltage applied to the cathode. However, the reduction is caused by the electron-acceptor monomer accepting electrons, and is therefore also present in the device of So. Furthermore, it was well known to optimize the strength of the electron accepting property. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify So, wherein the second alignment layer comprises an electron-acceptor monomer configured to reduce at a second threshold above a second voltage applied to the cathode, because it was known to optimize the strength of the electron accepting property. See MPEP 2144.05, Section II.
As to claim 7, So in view of Yamazaki discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 4. Furthermore, the grooves disclosed by Yamazaki are linearly oriented grooves. So further discloses in figure 2, that the liquid crystal molecules adjacent to the first alignment layer (122) are oriented orthogonal to the liquid crystal molecules adjacent to the second alignment layer (158). Therefore, grooves in the first alignment layer (122) and the grooves in the second alignment layer (158) are perpendicular to each other. So does not disclose wherein the molecules of the liquid crystal material are formed in a cholesteric configuration. However, such a configuration was conventional. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify So wherein the molecules of the liquid crystal material are formed in a cholesteric configuration because conventional device structures were known to be cost-effective and reliable.
As to claim 8, So in view of Yamazaki discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 7. Furthermore, grooves in the first alignment layer (122) are parallel to each other, and the grooves in the second alignment layer (158) are parallel to each other. So does not disclose wherein the molecules of the liquid crystal material are formed in a nematic or smectic configuration. However, such configurations were conventional. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify So wherein the molecules of the liquid crystal material are formed in a nematic or smectic configuration because conventional device structures were known to be cost-effective and reliable.
As to claim 19, So discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 17, but does not disclose wherein the alignment layers include grooves, and molecules of the liquid crystal layer are enabled to align along the grooves when no voltage is applied to the two electrodes. However, this was conventional as evidenced by Yamazaki (paragraph [0041], “The role of the orientation film 205 is to put the liquid crystal molecules in grooves formed in the orientation film 205 and to orient them in a given direction when the voltage is OFF”). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify So, wherein the alignment layers include grooves, and molecules of the liquid crystal layer are enabled to align along the grooves when no voltage is applied to the two electrodes, because conventional device structures were known to be cost-effective and reliable.
Furthermore, grooves in the first alignment layer (122) are linearly oriented grooves parallel to each other, and the grooves in the second alignment layer (158) are linearly oriented grooves parallel to each other. So does not disclose wherein the molecules of the liquid crystal material are formed in a nematic or smectic configuration. However, such configurations were conventional. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify So wherein the molecules of the liquid crystal material are formed in a nematic or smectic configuration because conventional device structures were known to be cost-effective and reliable.
So further discloses in figure 2, that the liquid crystal molecules adjacent to the first alignment layer (122) are oriented orthogonal to the liquid crystal molecules adjacent to the second alignment layer (158). Therefore, grooves in the first alignment layer (122) and the grooves in the second alignment layer (158) are linearly oriented grooves perpendicular to each other. So does not disclose wherein the molecules of the liquid crystal material are formed in a cholesteric configuration. However, such a configuration was conventional. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify So wherein the molecules of the liquid crystal material are formed in a cholesteric configuration because conventional device structures were known to be cost-effective and reliable.
Claims 3, 9-11 and 13-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over So et al. (KR 20040098350 A) in view of Yamazaki et al. (US 2002/0056844 A1) and Matsui et al. (JP H0954307 A).
As to claim 3, So in view of Yamazaki discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 1, but does not disclose wherein the liquid crystal molecules are enabled to disengage from the alignment layers when a voltage is applied to the two electrodes. However, this was conventional as evidenced by Matsui (paragraph [0047], “Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for driving a liquid crystal element in which liquid crystal is arranged between a pair of substrates, and regions with different threshold voltages for switching the liquid crystal are finely distributed, by applying a high-frequency AC pulse that acts on the dielectric anisotropy of the liquid crystal molecules (i.e., the liquid crystal molecules detach from the interface with the alignment film and become easier to switch)”). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify So, wherein the liquid crystal molecules are enabled to disengage from the alignment layers when a voltage is applied to the two electrodes, because conventional device structures were known to be cost-effective and reliable.
As to claim 9, So discloses in figure 2, a display panel, comprising: a liquid crystal (LC) panel, comprising a plurality of LC cells (pixels) arranged in a planar configuration; each LC cell comprising: electrode layers (pixel electrode 120 and common electrode 156, paragraph [120]) configured to be electrically coupled to a voltage supply; alignment layers (first alignment layer 122 and second alignment layer 158, paragraph [120]) adjacent to the electrode layers; and a layer of liquid crystal molecules (170, paragraph [121]) embedded between the alignment layers, wherein the alignment layers include a polymer formed with a combination of an electron-donor monomer and an electron-acceptor monomer (paragraph [63], “wherein the material forming the first and second alignment layers is selected from a polyimide material having charge mobility, wherein an electron donor material and an electron acceptor material forming a main chain are connected in a conjugated bond form”), wherein the polymer is formed at an interface between the liquid crystal molecules and the electrode layers (figure 2, the first alignment layer 122 is formed at an interface between the liquid crystal layer 170 and the pixel electrode 120, and the second alignment layer 158 is formed at an interface between the liquid crystal layer 170 and the common electrode 156).
So does not disclose wherein the alignment layer includes grooves, and molecules of the liquid crystal layer are enabled to align along the grooves when no voltage is applied to the two electrodes. However, this was conventional as evidenced by Yamazaki (paragraph [0041], “The role of the orientation film 205 is to put the liquid crystal molecules in grooves formed in the orientation film 205 and to orient them in a given direction when the voltage is OFF”). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify So, wherein the alignment layer includes grooves, and molecules of the liquid crystal layer are enabled to align along the grooves when no voltage is applied to the two electrodes, because conventional device structures were known to be cost-effective and reliable.
So does not disclose wherein the liquid crystal molecules are enabled to disengage from the alignment layers when a voltage is applied to the electrode layers. However, this was conventional as evidenced by Matsui (paragraph [0047], “Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for driving a liquid crystal element in which liquid crystal is arranged between a pair of substrates, and regions with different threshold voltages for switching the liquid crystal are finely distributed, by applying a high-frequency AC pulse that acts on the dielectric anisotropy of the liquid crystal molecules (i.e., the liquid crystal molecules detach from the interface with the alignment film and become easier to switch)”). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify So, wherein the liquid crystal molecules are enabled to disengage from the alignment layers when a voltage is applied to the electrode layers, because conventional device structures were known to be cost-effective and reliable.
As to claim 10, So in view of Yamazaki and Matsui discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 9. Furthermore, the electrode layers comprise an anode (120) and a cathode (156), and the alignment layers comprise a first alignment layer (122) adjacent to the anode (120) and a second alignment layer (158) adjacent to the cathode (156).
As to claim 11, So in view of Yamazaki and Matsui discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 10. Furthermore, grooves disclosed by Yamazaki are linearly oriented grooves, wherein the liquid crystal molecules are enabled to align along the linearly oriented grooves when the voltage is applied to the electrode layers.
As to claim 13, So in view of Yamazaki and Matsui discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 10, but does not disclose wherein a first alignment layer of the alignment layers adjacent to the anode comprises an electron-donor monomer configured to oxidize at a first threshold below a first voltage applied to the anode. However, the oxidation is caused by the electron-donor monomer donating electrons, and is therefore also present in the device of So. Furthermore, it was well known to optimize the strength of the electron donating property. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify So, wherein a first alignment layer of the alignment layers adjacent to the anode comprises an electron-donor monomer configured to oxidize at a first threshold below a first voltage applied to the anode, because it was known to optimize the strength of the electron donating property. See MPEP 2144.05, Section II.
As to claim 14, So in view of Yamazaki and Matsui discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 10, but does not disclose wherein a second alignment layer of the alignment layers adjacent to the cathode comprises an electron-acceptor monomer configured to reduce at a second threshold above a second voltage applied to the cathode. However, the reduction is caused by the electron-acceptor monomer accepting electrons, and is therefore also present in the device of So. Furthermore, it was well known to optimize the strength of the electron accepting property. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify So, wherein a second alignment layer of the alignment layers adjacent to the cathode comprises an electron-acceptor monomer configured to reduce at a second threshold above a second voltage applied to the cathode, because it was known to optimize the strength of the electron accepting property. See MPEP 2144.05, Section II.
As to claim 15, So in view of Yamazaki and Matsui discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 9. So further discloses in figure 2, that the liquid crystal molecules adjacent to the first alignment layer (122) are oriented orthogonal to the liquid crystal molecules adjacent to the second alignment layer (158). Therefore, grooves in the first alignment layer (122) and the grooves in the second alignment layer (158) are linearly oriented grooves perpendicular to each other. So does not disclose wherein the molecules of the liquid crystal material are formed in a cholesteric configuration. However, such a configuration was conventional. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify So wherein the molecules of the liquid crystal material are formed in a cholesteric configuration because conventional device structures were known to be cost-effective and reliable.
As to claim 16, So in view of Yamazaki and Matsui discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 9. Furthermore, grooves in the first alignment layer (122) are linearly oriented grooves parallel to each other, and the grooves in the second alignment layer (158) are linearly oriented grooves parallel to each other. So does not disclose wherein the molecules of the liquid crystal material are formed in a nematic or smectic configuration. However, such configurations were conventional. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify So wherein the molecules of the liquid crystal material are formed in a nematic or smectic configuration because conventional device structures were known to be cost-effective and reliable.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over So et al. (KR 20040098350 A).
As to claim 20, So discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 17. Furthermore, the first electrode (120) comprises an anode, and the second electrode (156) comprises a cathode.
So does not disclose wherein the first alignment layer comprises the electron-donor monomer including an oxidizer enabled at a first threshold below a first voltage applied to the anode. However, the oxidation is caused by the electron-donor monomer donating electrons, and is therefore also present in the device of So. Furthermore, it was well known to optimize the strength of the electron donating property. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify So, wherein the first alignment layer comprises the electron-donor monomer including an oxidizer enabled at a first threshold below a first voltage applied to the anode, because it was known to optimize the strength of the electron donating property. See MPEP 2144.05, Section II.
So does not disclose wherein the second alignment layer comprises the electron-acceptor monomer including a reducer enabled at a second threshold above a second voltage applied to the cathode. However, the reduction is caused by the electron-acceptor monomer accepting electrons, and is therefore also present in the device of So. Furthermore, it was well known to optimize the strength of the electron accepting property. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify So, wherein the second alignment layer comprises the electron-acceptor monomer including a reducer enabled at a second threshold above a second voltage applied to the cathode, because it was known to optimize the strength of the electron accepting property. See MPEP 2144.05, Section II.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-11 and 13-20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/DAVID Y CHUNG/Examiner, Art Unit 2871
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